Refuse truck packer



July 27, 1954 A. F. EHRENHAFT 2,684,771

REFUSE TRUCK PACKER Filed Sept. 29 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l I "(1 1\vJI/IIIIIIIIIIIL" INVENTOR Alphons Ehrenhaft July 27, 1954 A. F.EHRENHAFT REFUSE TRUCK PACKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 29, 1949Zhrenhaf TTORNEY A. F. EHRENHAFT 2,684,771

REFUSE TRUCK PACKER July 27, 1-954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 29 1949Wm!!!WWWE A INVENTOR Alp/2on8 E E/Lz'enhaf'i BY 6 fi ATToRNEY PatentedJuly 27, 1954 REFUSE TRUCK PACKER Alphons F. Ehrenhaft, New York, N. Y.,assignor to Morse Boulger Destructor (30., New York, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Application September 29, 1949, Serial No.118,582

2 Claims. (Cl. 214-83) This invention relates to a filling andcompacting device, and more particularly to a refuse truck filling andcompacting device.

It is an object of my invention to provide a rotary filler and compactorfor loading truck bodies used for hauling refuse or the like, includinga prime mover operated rotor, rotating within a hopper or like fillingencasement and comprising a drum having radially eccentrically shiftablevanes or blades which moves the refuse and forces the load through thethroat of a hopper into the truck body.

Load shifters or rotary pumps for semi-solids a known to me involving adrum having radially reciprocal blades or vanes including an eccentricmovement of the blades radially to cyclically project the vanes orblades from a co-terminus peripheral, to a projecting position, withsolids or semi-solids tend to involve a scooping action which makes thecontinuous uniform movement of the load entail the inconvenience oflabor for constant supervision or scraping of the trailing side of thedrum. Furthermore, the operation of a load shifter and packer in whicheccentric projection and retraction of the blades is involved inconnection with refuse having high abrasive action in accordance withdesigns known to me, involve an unusual expense in the burdensomedismantling of the assembly for replacement of worn parts and relievingthe congestion of accumulated debris.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a refuseloader and packer in which the refuse or similar load from a hopper iscompacted and shifted and forced into a receptacle or truck body by therotation of a compacting drum having radially eccentrically shiftableblades, involving a simplified assembly where maximum efficiency anddurability are secured, and low cost maintenance of such loading devicefeatured.

Still more particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide,in combination, with a refuse truck, a hopper loader and compactor whichshifts the refuse or like material fed into the hopper into the truckbody by power transmission by an assembly which assures simplicity ofinstallation and dismantling, while affording efficient coordination ofthe movement of the radial vanes cooperating with the drum, therebyproviding for effective-compaction, self-cleansing and shifting of thematerial; rigidity of construction to withstand the shockof compacting avariety of refuse material encountered in loading the truck body;efficient blade motion, minimizing the scooping action and avoiding theneed for shutdowns or non-use in scraping the drum of the debris orrecycling the debris into the loading hopper; transmission of power totransmit the most effective torsional stress; ready variability inchange of eccentricity of operating vanes to avoid jamming forcestending to stall the prime mover by loosening action manipulation duringoperation; simplicity of construction for assembly and dismantling formaintenance and repair, and affording the abiilty to lubricate the majorparts during operation.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein,or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary sideelevation illustrating my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of ablade assembly;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section like that taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3,turned a quarter turn;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the control lever forshifting the angular position of the eccentric shaft;

Figure 7 i another embodiment of control lever.

The invention may be summarized as providing a rotary load shifter andpacker of high mechanical advantage, which may be employed for moving,filling and compacting a wide variety of materials, from semi-solids togranular solids, such as experienced in handling refuse from households,such as garbage, ashes of the dry or slushy variety, and which is fedinto a hopper at a loading end of a truck, to compact the same againstthe back pressure, gradually filling and shifting the load within thetruck body. The feature of the invention includes a rotary packer havinga rotary drum, through the periphery of which extend radially shiftingvanes or blades to entrap and compact the load at the filling end andshift it inwardly and upwardly into the truck body without recycling thedebris, the operation of the blades assuring efiicient thrust forcompacting, minimizing scooping of the debris or load, tending to clogor require cleansing of the movable parts, and including constructionalfeatures wherein the rotor assembly may be quickly and efficientlyassembled for installation or removed for replacement, with anarrangement of the power transmitting elements to secure maximumefficiency in the transmission of the power to the load, and further topermit a variant in the eccentric thrust of the movable vanes to avoidstalling and shut down during operation.

Making reference to the drawing, my invention is illustrated inconnection with a refuse truck I having a tailgate whose casing I2merges into a low level filling hopper l3, having a throat I4coterminous with a chute l5 for filling refuse into the truck body ontothe floor I6. The tailgate casing l2 includes a prime mover H, such asan hydraulic motor operating from an hydraulic pump as a source of powerand which, through the gear l8, the chain drive l9, and the gear 2|),operates a rotary drum compactor 2| in the hopper l3, to move, compactand shift refuse or the like as loose solids and semi-solids from alongthe bottom wall 22, through the throat |4 along the chute |5, aspreviously described.

The gear 20 drives the drum assembly. The drum assembly includes a drumface 23 merging into an end flange 24, having a tubular extensiontrunnion 25 at the end 26, which may be suitably splined and keyed forpositive drive with the gear 26. The drum flange 24 is formed with vaneslots 21, merging into the peripheral slots 28, as outlined by thereinforcing ribs 29 and 30. The drum flange 24 is integral with the drumface segments 3|. These segments likewise include end ribs 32 andperipheral ribs 33, to strengthen the structure.

The drum end 34 is open and is formed with an end flange 35, forming aseat 36 for the removable flange 31. Bearings 38 receive the bolts 39,holding the removable flange 31 on the seat 36.

The flange 31, as does th flange 24, has a tubular trunnion 48. Thetrunnions 25 and 40, respectively, are formed with axial borings 4| and42, supporting bearings 43 and 44. The bearings 43 and 44 rotationallysupport the trunnions 45 and 46 of the cam shaft 41. Eccentric radialarms 48 and 49 support the cross shaft 50.

Upon the cross shaft 50 there are mounted the blades or vanes 5|, whichcomprise blade sections 52 and 53 inwardly formed with extensions 54 and55, joined to the connecting webs 56 and 51 which, in turn, support thecomplemental axial follower cams 58 of general sinusoidal contour and inbearing contact with the cross shaft 50 by the bolts 59 which connectsplit segments of the follower cams 58.

The webs 56 and 51 extend the blade segments 52 and 53 in relation toeach other so that the working faces 66 and 6| are in diametricallyaligned position with regard to the drum with which this assembly is tobe combined, abrasion resisting inserts 62 being provided in thedirection of the Working area shown by the arrow head 63, as will beexplained hereafter.

Blade assemblies of the type described, alternated with the bladeassemblies 520. and 53a, complete the couple of opposed blade elementswith regard to the drum face with which these members are to becombined, it being understood that the webs 56a and 51a lie next to eachother within the drum. The contour of the face of the cam 58 will beexplained hereafter.

The blade assembly associated with the eccentric shaft 41 is insertedwithin the drum, to position the blades within the slots 21 and 28,whereupon the end flange 31 is bolted in position. The drum and blades,as a unit, are now assembled in the hopper. The tubular trunnions 25 and46 support roller bearings 64, for support in the end hubs 65 and 66,the hub 65 being bolted to the side plate 61 formed with a block 68 bythe bolts 69. The hub 66 is bolted to the cover plate 18, formed with aflange 1| for seating onto the side plate 12 of the hopper. Bolts 13hold the cover to permit the drum assembly to be inserted or removed asa unit from the bearing of the hub 65. The cover plate 10 has extendedfrom it a quadrant 14 for locking the manual control lever 15 by meansof the turn bolt which may slide in the boring or other adjustable guide16 formed on the quadrant 14. The lever 15 is keyed to the squared end11 of the trunm'on of eccentric shaft 46.

In Figure '1 a variable adjustment of the angle of the eccentric shaftis further illustrated. The lever 15 is here provided with hand gripoperated pawl adjustably engaging the handle with respect to the rack16a on the quadrant 14a in various angular positions described.

With this assembly mounted upon the side plates 61 and 12 of the hopper,the operation of the packer assembly is effected by the gear 20 which iskeyed by the spline 26a to the tubular trunnion 25, as previouslydescribed.

The arrangement of the assembly includes a centrally fed lubricatingduct or oil line run ning centrally through the shaft 41 for feeding thelubricant to the bearings 43, 44 and the cam surfaces 58 through thecross shaft. Sealing of the cam surfaces 58 within the hopper may beeffected by sealing rings 18 and 19 seated in the flanges 24 and 31,respectively, in contacting the plates 61 and cover plate 10,respectively.

It will be observed that from the construction described, theapplication of rotational force through the gear 26 to the tubulartrunnion 25 will rotate the drum and carry the blades 52 with itrelatively to the hubs 65 and 66, the point of rotation during operationbeing upon the bearing 64 which is axially aligned and supported on theshaft sections 45 and 46. The eccentric radial arms 48 and 49 remainstationary and provide an eccentricity equivalent to the axialdisplacement of the cross shaft 50 with regard to the axial line throughthe shaft sections 45 and 46.

The blades 52, 53, 52a, 53a being bolted together, form a rigid unit andthese elements are subjected to the turning stress distributed over theentire blade by the entire drum. During rotation the webs 56 and 51direct the cam 58 in contact with the shaft 50, to transmit the radialshifting movement to the blades, the contour of the cam being adjustedwith regard to the wall 22 of the hopper to secure a radial shifting ofthe blade tips 86 to preserve a path of the blade tips in accordancewith most efficient scraping operation at the maximum point ofprojection. Exact radially mounted working surfaces of blades is thusassured, eliminating any tendency for a scooping action or entrappingaction to deposit the debris between the blade and the drum face afterpassing the point of maximum eccentricity, it being observed that thehopper wall 22 is preferably a convolute flaring at the mouth of thehopper and becomes more constricted as the wall approach is thelowermost point adjacent the drum periphery to compact as well as movethe refuse in the hopper.

During operation the lever 15 may be adjusted angularly to position theleading point of maximum eccentricity in accordance with conditions ofoperation which may be encountered and to retract the point of maximumeccentricity,

should infrangible material be encountered tending to stall and disruptoperation or effect breakage. Likewise, clearances between the blade tipand the hopper wall 22 may be adjusted at the point of maximumeccentricity in accordance with the materials encountered. Thusprojection as well as retraction of the blades in operation may besecured by the shifting of the lever 15 which, in turn, angularly shiftsthe segment 50 of the cam shaft about the segments 45 as the center. Thecam surfaces, by the construction as provided, are kept relatively freefrom abrasion and are fully protected within the drum itself. In thisrespect the spring loaded baffle B may be omitted entirely by reason ofthe variable control afforded in the eccentric and the variable natureof the cam surface, notwithstanding the coupling of the blades to eachother diametrically.

The transmission of motive power directly through the hubs 25 and 40frees the shaft 51 from torsion during operation by the compacting forceencountered in shifting and packing the refuse from the hopper throughthe throat thereof, into the body of the truck.

Lubrication of all bearing surfaces, including the cams 58, may besecured with simplicity centrally and exteriorly through the axial oilborings in the shaft 41 and the eccentric cross shaft.

Integrating the drum, the cam shaft and blades permits the drum andblade assembly to be removed as a unit merely by unbolting the coverplate and removing the bolt 13 after removing the drive gear 20.Likewise, after removing the plate "!0, the cam shaft 41 may be removedwithout disturbing the drum drive or drum by removing the flange 31,which involves merely removing the bolts 39.

By the construction as described, it will be observed that installationfor assembly is simplified, as is the dismantling for maintenance andrepair. Likewise, the path of eccentricity of the tips of the blades maybe adjusted by the contour of the cam which, in its relation to thehopper, provides for efficient packing to minimize re-cycling of thedebris which may cling to the drum.

It will be understood that, while not shown, scraper blades may bepositioned on the trailing edge of the drum adjacent the point ofmaximum retraction of the blade tips and that the reduction in scoopingaction on the drum and avoidance of re-cycling reduce the work on thescraper.

A construction having a simple number of parts is thereby provided,having high compacting efliciency and involving low maintenance cost. Arolling pressure compacting as well as moving action is secured in themovement of the refuse from the mouth of the hopper beneath the drum andhopper bottom wall and into the truck body making for a dense highlycompacted pay oad.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what isclaimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A loading and compacting rotor for a refuse truck or the likeoperating within a loading hopper comprising a drum, tubular trunnionsfor said drum, radial slots extending to the periphery of said drum,radial blades guided in said slots, a cam having a sinusoidal cammingface, webs joining said cam to diametrically opposed blades mountedthereon and a cross shaft on which said cams are mounted and extensionshafts for said cross shaft on which said tubular trunnions are mountedfor rotation and eccentric adjustment for the point of maximumeccentricity.

2. A refuse truck or the like having, in combination, a loading hopper,the side walls of which rotatively mount a. compacting rotor, one ofsaid side walls having a supporting bearing, a tubular trunnionextending from one end of said drum supported in said bearing, a covermember supported on the opposed wall of said hopper, said cover membercarrying a bearing, said drum having a tubular trunnion extended androtatively mounted in said bearing, radial guide slots in said drum,blade segments guided in said slots, a cam shaft supported in saidtrunnions and extending eccentrically, a cross shaft and cam followersconnecting said blade segments to each other and to said cross shaft,said cover member being removably mounted on said hopper wall wherebythe drum may be installed as a unit with said cover member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,363,716 Campbell Dec. 28, 1920 2,151,886 Barrett Mar. 28,1939 2,280,272 Sullivan Apr. 21, 1942 2,413,935 Williams Jan. 7, 19472,458,023 Pike Jan. 4, 1949 2,509,388 Biszantz May 30, 1950 2,552,860Oliver May 15, 1951 2,573,269 Miller Oct. 30, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 46,003 France Dec. 3, 1935 (Addition to No. 790,709)825,873 France Dec. 16, 1937

